Sunday, January 29, 2012

Five Random Cubs Cards

I've got 9,972 Cubs cards from 64 different brands listed on a spreadsheet. A random number generator picked five cards, one each from the past several decades.

Before I get to the cards, take another look at the number of Cubs cards I've got. It's getting real close to 10,000. When Topps 2012 comes out, I'll be even closer. I want to make #10,000 something special, and I've got in mind what I'd like to do. Hopefully, I'll be able to pull it off. Stay tuned!

Back to the cards....I believe this may be a first for Five Random Cubs Cards....no Topps cards. All five are other brands.

1950s / 1960s Bowman 1955 #137 Bob Talbot We start with a card from the TV set, Bowman's 1955 swan song. This card was also Talbot's swan song. After hitting .241 for the Cubs in 1954, Bowman considered him worthy of a card. But he didn't even make the team and spent the next six years in the minors, never making it back into the major leagues.

1970s SSPC 1978 #257 Greg Gross SSPC gives us a nice portrait shot of the Cubs outfielder. This season was the second and final for Gross in Cubbie blue. After hitting .322 in 1977, he had a 57 point drop in '78. After the season he went to the Phillies in a trade that included a total of eight players. You don't see those big swaps anymore.

1980s Score 1989 #146 Frank DiPino Like Greg Gross, DiPino came to the Cubs from the Astros and would spend two seasons with the team. His 1988 numbers were lousy, 2-3 with a 4.98 ERA. So after the season the Cubs let him go. The Cardinals signed him and all he did was go a perfect 9-0 with a crazy low 2.45 ERA.

1990s Fleer 1992 #388 Chuck McElroy The Cubs were the second of nine times that McElroy pitched with. The 1992 season was the worst of his three in Chicago, as he went 4-7.

2000s Bowman 2003 #BDP29 Sergio Mitre The righty pitched briefly with the Cubs in 2003, making his major league debut. He got bombed in his first MLB start, giving up 8 runs in 3 2/3 innings. He returned to the team in September and pitched scoreless ball over five innings. That helped to lower is ERA for the season to only 8.31.

About Me

I am a life-long Cubs fan currently in exile in southern Michigan. I have been collecting baseball cards since the fateful Cubs year of 1969. I took a 15 year break from the hobby and returned in 2008.